**Fictional Obsession**
Cha Na-ra's life is a never-ending nightmare of parental abuse and suffocating loneliness. Trapped in a world where hope is a rare commodity, she finds an unexpected escape in a mysterious book titled "Mystery of the Midnight...
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Na-ra woke up early as usual, ready to escape the tension of her home. She was about to leave the house when a voice startled her. It was her mother. "Eat something before you go," she said, her tone sharp and unyielding.
For a brief moment, Na-ra felt a flicker of happiness. "O-okay, Mom," she replied, hesitating for a second. She recalled that she hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning. But that fleeting sense of joy was quickly shattered.
"I don't want the neighbors thinking we don't feed you properly," her mother added, the concern in her words more about appearances than Na-ra's well-being.
Na-ra's heart sank. The warmth she had felt just moments ago was replaced by a cold emptiness. "I understand," she mumbled, the disappointment evident in her voice.
"Good. Now hurry up and eat. I don't have all day," her mother snapped, turning away as if the conversation was over.
Na-ra forced a small, polite nod and made her way to the kitchen, grabbing a piece of bread without any real appetite. As she took a bite, she tried to focus on the positive. *At least she noticed,* she thought, though the bread felt dry and tasteless in her mouth.
As she left the house, the bread untouched in her bag, Na-ra couldn't shake the hollow feeling inside her. *Why did I even get my hopes up?* she wondered, her steps feeling heavier than usual.
But she knew she had to keep moving, to focus on the small victories, like surviving school. With a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and walked towards her escape, determined to face whatever the day would bring.
Na-ra entered the school, repeating her mantra in her mind. *Be brave, keep smiling. Be brave, keep smiling.* She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, pushing the morning's disappointment out of her mind.
As she walked through the gates, she noticed a commotion near the entrance. A group of students had gathered around a bulletin board where the club sign-ups were posted. Curiosity piqued, Na-ra joined the crowd, scanning the lists for anything that might catch her interest.
Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see a girl she vaguely recognized from her class, Park Ji-eun. "Hey, Na-ra, right?" Ji-eun asked, smiling warmly.
Na-ra nodded, a bit surprised. "Yeah, that's me."
"Cool. I saw you sketching yesterday. You're really good," Ji-eun said. "I'm in the art club and we could really use someone with your talent. Would you be interested?"
Na-ra blinked in surprise. "I... I don't know. I've never really done anything like that before."
"Well, there's a first time for everything," Ji-eun replied, her enthusiasm infectious. "We're meeting today after school. Just come by and check it out. No pressure."
Na-ra felt a small spark of excitement. *Maybe this could be good,* she thought. "Okay, I'll think about it," she said, giving Ji-eun a shy smile.
"Great! See you there," Ji-eun said, before being called away by another student.
